The national broadcaster is standing by one of its most senior reporters after the US president threatened to dob him in to the Australian prime minister.

In a fiery exchange about his business dealings, Donald Trump told the ABC's Americas editor he was "hurting Australia very much".

"Your leader is coming over to see me very soon," Mr Trump told reporter John Lyons.

"I'm going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone."

The president's remarks appear to confirm he will soon meet face-to-face with his counterpart Anthony Albanese.

Neither American nor Australian officials have announced a date for the talks.

Mr Lyons irked the president by asking if it was appropriate for a US leader to be "engaged in so much business activity" while in office.

Mr Trump said his children were

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